tagged w/ Senior Citizens
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We're not as nice as we look, but then...neither is she! Find another sibling nearby, then move far away...far, far away!
KK and SalGal
THE MIDLIFE GALS
http://www.themidlifegals.comWe're not as nice as we look, but then...neither is she! Find another sibling... more
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In many parts of India you can see people enjoying bhang/hashish (or cannabis/marijuana) by the roadside without attracting a look of surprise or disapproval. It is only when the Western world began to raise hue and cry that people in the urban areas began to smoke/drink it discreetly at the occasional activation of the dormant laws.
In nearly 80 per cent of India it is still openly consumed (generally in moderation); some places even have legal shops. India does not suffer from the Western world’s obsession with “sin” and “evil” that invariably leads to suppression, excesses and confusion. A recent Western study again serves to create unnecessary alarm instead of creating a healthy debate on this issue.
The Independent of Britain reports: “Today, an estimated one in 25 adults of working age – 166 million people around the world – has used cannabis to get high, either in ignorance or defiance of its damaging effects on health. Now, the extraordinary popularity of the drug is posing a significant public health challenge, doctors say.
“Writing in The Lancet, Wayne Hall of the University of Queensland and Louisa Degenhardt of the University of New South Wales, Australia, say cannabis slows reaction times and increases the risk of accidents, causes bronchitis, interferes with learning, memory and education and, most seriously, may double the risk of schizophrenia. Yet these effects have failed to dent its popularity.”
A comment that followed this article is pertinent: “If there has been an increase of schizophrenia at all in the West, and it can be established that there is a correlation with cannabis, couldn’t it be that cannabis makes a person see things more clearly? And seeing things more clearly, makes a person vulnerable and uncertain.
“And considering the utter and sheer stupidity of modern politics, I would definitely become schizophrenic if I had to grow up in these times. I would like to suggest that schizophrenia is first of all caused by a political system that is based on lies, distortion of reality, egoism, greed and most of all, a consistent lack of morality.
“If our enlightened leaders had put just as much effort in fighting the disastrous effects of alcohol abuse, just think how many lives could have been saved….”
Read the details about the study here…
And here…
So what can be done? Despite stringent laws that the Western world has, a country cannot put such a huge population behind bars. In fact, the first question to be asked is why so many people are turning to drugs? Is there something basically wrong with the manner these countries are being run? We generally look at the symptoms and not at the real disease.
Or, is there a conspiracy to make such a highly popular natural drug illegal so that the mafia, and their benefactors in high places, rake in the mullah? British actor David Niven recalled in his wonderful book “Moon’s A Balloon” how he indulged in bootlegging in America during the prohibition days there.
No one dare question the dangerous side-effects of certain drugs produced by the pharmaceutical industry, which is said to be most powerful and, in terms of profit-making, next only to the arms manufacturing industry.
Alcohol and medical drugs manufacturers are encouraged to glamorize their products and seduce the most vulnerable population. It is only recently that stricter warnings have been implemented on cigarette packets. So we now have powerful alcohol, medical drugs and tobacco lobbies who would not allow any competition. These well-entrenched lobbies influence decision-making at the top worldwide.
Says a Wikipedia entry: “Cannabis was criminalized in the United States in 1937 due to Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. Several theories try to explain why it is illegal in most Western societies. Jack Herer, a cannabis legalization activist and writer, argues that the economic interests of the paper and chemical industry were a driving force to make it illegal.CON'T>In many parts of India you can see people enjoying bhang/hashish (or... more
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Republicans want to end Medicare. The GOP is threatening seniors and the disabled with deep cuts in Medicare. The Republican Party has sought for decades to gut Medicare funding and tried multiple times to kill the program entirely. Just this year, 137 Republicans voted in the House for a budget proposal offered by the Republican leadership which would have ended Medicare for future generations of seniors.Republicans want to end Medicare. The GOP is threatening seniors and the disabled with... more
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Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele penned an op-ed in the Washington Post on Monday accusing Democrats of looking to gut Medicare.
Five days later -- on the eve of a three-day weekend -- Democrats are hitting back.
Republicans are no friends of seniors, a new ad from the Democratic National Committee argues. The party is reminding voters that Republicans opposed Medicare from the beginning and in recent years have even voted to end it for younger generations.
The GOP did, in fact, oppose Medicare when President Lyndon Johnson signed it into law and conservative elements of the party have long sought to end it.
In 1996, GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole bragged about voting against it in 1965. "I was there, fighting the fight, voting against Medicare . . . because we knew it wouldn't work in 1965," Dole said, according to the DNC.
Obama has proposed cutting the Medicare Advantage -- a Republican designed, privatized boondoggle that costs roughly 12 percent more than regular Medicare -- to offset spending increases associated with health care reform.Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele penned an op-ed in the... more
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Obama’s government health care counsel “DEATH PANEL” is going to tell Senior Citizens why and when it’s time for them to die. What else will the panel say? Leave a comment!
Section 1233 of Obama’s health care reform authorizes “advanced care planning consultations for senior citizens on Medicare every five years, and more often ‘if there is a significant change in the health condition of the individual ... or upon admission to a skilled nursing facility, a long-term care facility ... or a hospice program.’"
I say that Obama’s current Democratic health care proposal will lead to rationed care for us, especially the sick, the elderly, and the disabled who will suffer the most under such rationing. In such a system “unproductive” members of society could face the prospect of government bureaucrats determining what kind of health care they deserve – YOU deserve - whether YOU live or die.
-Obama’s government health care counsel “DEATH PANEL” is going to... more
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The townsfolk of Boring, Oregon and Normal, Illinois show viewers what makes their communities live up to their respective namesakes.
To prove how everyday people can achieve extraordinary things, Toshiba decided to bring their laptops to a couple places that needed some excitement: Boring, Oregon and Normal, Illinois. The Boring vs. Normal campaign from Toshiba, tracks a cast of characters do everything from start an online business to record music, and lets users vote on which town is more interesting.
Starting Monday, July 27, 2009 you can follow the competition and cast your vote at BoringvsNormal.com.The townsfolk of Boring, Oregon and Normal, Illinois show viewers what makes their... more
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On April 1, Otok Ben-Hvar climbed inside a 1940s-era phone booth with wheels and walked half a mile to the outdoor patio of a produce market. Otok, white-haired and jovial, was equipped with everything he'd need to live inside the red, white and blue booth until his 72nd birthday on April 29.
A college buddy fashioned a makeshift air-conditioning unit held together with electrical tape and cardboard.
A nearby table holds a computer Otok uses to record his daily food intake and log his excursions from the booth (mostly five-minute bathroom breaks).On April 1, Otok Ben-Hvar climbed inside a 1940s-era phone booth with wheels and... more
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Nigeria's anti-narcotics agency confiscated 6.5 tons of marijuana Tuesday from the home of a man who claimed to be 114 years old.Nigeria's anti-narcotics agency confiscated 6.5 tons of marijuana Tuesday from... more
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An 88-year-old Arlington grandfather who has been held in a Mexican jail for the past two months is finally free.
Ed Chrisman was released from the Mexicali jail early Sunday morning and was back in Arizona Sunday evening. His family says Ed was checked at a local hospital and that he had lost some weight. One of the first things he wanted was a hamburger and apple pie.
Ed had been spending his winter in Yuma, Ariz., when his grandson invited him along on a trip to get inexpensive dental treatment in Mexico, the family said.
The two were arrested after a woman accused them of asking her daughters to pose nude for photographs.An 88-year-old Arlington grandfather who has been held in a Mexican jail for the past... more
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In the modern world, old age homes have emerged as an unavoidable necessity. Even Indians, who boast about their respect for elders, now consider them as a boon in disguise. As globalization was......In the modern world, old age homes have emerged as an unavoidable necessity. Even... more
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Firefighters have rescued a 71-year-old contractor who fell and was left dangling from a flagpole about 75 feet off the ground.
Police say Paul Reed was changing a cable on the 105-foot pole Monday afternoon when his rope-and-board seating rig slipped. As he fell, the seat became wedged at his shoulders and stopped his descent.Firefighters have rescued a 71-year-old contractor who fell and was left dangling from... more
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Officers fired the 50,000-volt weapon at the war veteran after he disappeared from his care home and threatened to cut his throat with a piece of broken glass.
He is the oldest man to have had a Taser used on him.Officers fired the 50,000-volt weapon at the war veteran after he disappeared from his... more
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A 91-year-old man accused of crashing into several bicyclists last month has been indicted on a single count of leaving the scene of an accident causing serious physical injury.
If convicted, William Arthur Wilson could receive probation or between three and 12.5 years in prison.A 91-year-old man accused of crashing into several bicyclists last month has been... more
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Isobel Varley got her first tattoo in 1986 at 49 years old. Since then she has had dozens of tattoos and by 1997 almost every square cm of her body, including the 'inside of my nether regions and the ends of my toes' were covered.Isobel Varley got her first tattoo in 1986 at 49 years old. Since then she has had... more
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John Dawkins and Penny Cooper have become Britain's oldest newlyweds.
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Les Paul ,93, is credited as the father of the solid body electric guitar and multitrack recording. … He plays two shows every Monday night.
Paul weathers all sorts of problems during his 71-minute set. The blue napkin is a recurring guest, balm for his drippy nose. A light blue turtleneck conceals the brace he wears to support his back. And his fingers.…
Oh, those poor 93-year-old fingers. He has attempted all sorts of tricks to coax life out of them. On rides to gigs, he used to sit in the passenger's seat and press them against the dashboard. He would soak them. Put splints on them. Wrap tape around them.
The calcium deposits worsened. The arthritis deepened. One by one, his fingers gave up on him.
"The biggest problem is you think you've got your fingers," Paul said. "And when you go to play something, you realize you don't have [them].
Les Paul ,93, is credited as the father of the solid body electric guitar and... more
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An elderly New Zealand say their son can "rot in hell" after he stole tens of thousands of dollars from them.
Brett Andrew Laurent, 38, was jailed for 18 months by a Tauranga District Court judge on Friday after admitting 28 charges of stealing money and household goods from his parents.
Laurent had pleaded to stay with his parents Heather and Noel in August at their Te Puke retirement village after his girlfriend kicked him out.
But he proceeded to steal electrical goods and $NZ10,000 ($A8,738) from them and failed to repay a loan of $NZ10,000 ($A8,738) he took from them.
The upset parents say they plan to move from Te Puke so their son will never see them again.
Mrs Laurent said they cut their son from their will after he stole from them four years ago but they gave him a second chance, not knowing he had been in jail.
"He can rot in hell, the sooner the better," Mrs Laurent told Sunday News.
"He will never come into our lives again. He's had lots and lots of chances.
"You just forget he ever existed. We must get on with our lives and forget we had a son. We just don't want to see him. We don't want him to ring us, or write letters or come anywhere near us."
She said they only discovered their son's theft when her EFTPOS card was declined at an ATM, and it will stop them having an overseas trip.
"I was in real shock. I thought Noel was going to have another stroke," she said.
"We have never been overseas. I need my teeth done, we need a new vehicle. We have saved and saved and saved."An elderly New Zealand say their son can "rot in hell" after he stole tens... more
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All it took was one man who was prepared to stand up and be counted.
As two masked robbers smashed a jeweler's window with sledgehammers, 84-year-old William Grove stepped out from the crowd which had stopped to watch but dared not intervene.
Mr Grove, proudly wearing a poppy on his lapel, walked up to the robbers as they pounded the reinforced windows.
He then grabbed one of them by the shoulder and pulled the balaclava from his face.
The pair were so alarmed that one of them had been unmasked that they fled to a waiting silver car and sped off.
Then, with a modesty rarely seen these days, the 6ft 3in pensioner explained to police arriving at the scene that he couldn't stop as he had to dash to an appointment.
With that, he handed them his business card, hopped on a bus and was gone.
Nick Thompson, a 35-year-old IT technician who saw the pensioner single-handedly foil the raid from his office opposite the jeweler's, said: 'I thought it was brilliant that someone in this day and age can still have the guts to take on someone much younger and bigger.
'Heroes like that don't think twice about these things.
'There must have been about 40 or 50 people watching but he was the only who thought, "Hang on a minute, I'm not putting up this". We were all amazed he had the guts to do it.'
Police, who believe the robbers may have got away with just one watch, are hunting two black men aged between 18 and 20 and the driver of the getaway car.
They have already interviewed Mr Grove, a former civil servant, who is said to have smiled to the crowd after his dramatic intervention on Thursday lunchtime at Ernest Jones in Richmond, South-West London.
'He gave this great little smile and then walked to catch his bus,' said Mr Thompson. 'He must have known it was about to come and didn't want to miss it.'
Another witness, Ed Hardman, described the moment the robber was unmasked.
He said: 'The robber looked really confused and didn't know what to do, but yelled to his mates, put his hood up and ran off. The old guy was a bit of a hero because no one else wanted to take on these two guys with huge sledgehammers.'
Mr Thompson's brother Murray, who also witnessed the robbery, said: 'I'm put to shame by what an 80-year-old did.'
A police source said: 'His actions freaked them out and they just ran.
'It's great that this man through his bravery managed to foil a robbery by himself and fortunately he doesn't seem to have been injured.'
Ernest Jones said it would be rewarding Mr Grove, who uses a walking stick, with a Rolex watch as a thank you. All it took was one man who was prepared to stand up and be counted.
As two masked... more
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The Better Business Bureau is investigating a nationwide scam that preys on the emotions of senior citizens for money.
The Better Business Bureau is investigating a nationwide scam that preys on the emotions of senior citizens for money.
An Allen Park grandmother was the most recent target and was almost conned out of $7,000.
A week ago, Helen Broskea, 82, received a call from a man claiming to be her 21-year-old grandson Brandon. The man said he was in Canada and ran into some trouble and was in need of an immediate wire transfer of money.
Broskea he was in Canada and got into an accident with a rental car and they would not let him go back to the U.S. until he paid $7,000. Broskea said she made sure to ask a lot of questions, such as why he was in Canada, why he was in a rental car when he had his own, and why he was calling from a phone booth when he had a cell phone.
Broskea said the man had a legitimate answer to all of her questions and then gave her instructions on how to send a $7,000 Money-Gram to an address in Canada.
"I was a wreck. I was thinking -- It sounded like him, 'Grandma I love you,'" said Broskea.
He told her he would reimburse her from his car insurance money the next day, and one more thing: Don't tell anybody, said Broskea.
The worried grandmother was ready to get the money when she called her son, Brandon's father, to see if he had heard from his son. Broskea's son called the real Brandon, who assured him he was in Kalamazoo attending school.
The scam artists called back a few more times and said it would be OK if she only sent $2,000.
"Just send $5,000 grandma because another grandma just sent $2,000. I said, 'Oh really,'" said Broskea.
Once the scam artists realized their plan had been foiled, they stopped calling.
According to the BBB, the scam has been used on seniors across the county. The BBB said the scam works like this: A grandparent receives a call from grandchildren, claiming that they are in some kind of trouble, usually an automobile accident, in the hospital, under arrest or in need of bail money immediately.
Police are not sure how the scammers get the names and numbers of the seniors, but once they get them on the phone they begin fishing for information.
The caller usually begins the conversation by saying, "Hi, Grandma, It's me, your favorite grandchild."
With the information given, the caller makes the pitch of being in trouble and in need of money.
A Wisconsin woman wired the scammers $15,000 and an Ann Arbor woman was recently stopped by a cautious teller from wiring the scam artists $10,000.
The BBB encourages family members to explain the scam to elderly people, hang up if they receive a call like this and verify with the supposedly distressed family members before wiring money.
Also if someone asks to wire money, a red flag should go up because wire transfers are hard to trace, according to the BBB.The Better Business Bureau is investigating a nationwide scam that preys on the... more
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